Sister Mary's Justice Notes Nov. 15

CSJ Justice Coordinator Sister Mary Flick keeps us

informed on the latest social justice news each week.

SAVE THE DATE: ‘The Cost of Justice’ Morning of Reflection Jan.20

“The Cost of Justice: The Life and Death of Blessed Stan Rother,” a morning of reflection inspired by the Church’s recent beatification of American-born priest, Stan Rother, will be held Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, 9-11:30 a.m. in the Celestine Room. The reflection will be offered by Sandra Spencer, a former missionary, who was a parish neighbor of Rother for 16 years in Guatemala until his murder by Guatamalan military forces in 1981. In addition to her personal account of his life story, Spencer will offer a brief historical context of the uprising in Guatemala and its interrelatedness to other U.S. counter-insurgencies around the globe at that time. The morning is sponsored by the Province Justice Office. To register, contact motherhousersvp@csjsl.org.

Tell Congress to Protect the Health of Kids and Families

Gridlock and political games in Congress have resulted in both the Children's Health Insurance and Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting programs (CHIP and MIECHV) to lapse. Millions of families across the country are at risk of losing health insurance for their children or critical home visiting services because of congressional inaction. MomsRising urges us to tell Congress to continue funding for CHIP and MIECHV. Go to: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/chip_miechv/?t=5&akid=9826%2E2456739%2EQuRItV

Pope, At U.S. Military Cemetery, Makes Emotional Anti-War Address

Pope Francis made one of his most emotional anti-war addresses last week, saying during a visit to a U.S. military cemetery that the world seemed to be headed into war perhaps bigger than any before. Pope Francis's comments came ahead of a summit he'll be hosting at the Vatican, urging an international ban on nuclear weapons. Read more.

Mass Shootings Have Roots in Domestic Violence

In the wake of the massacre at a small-town Texas church this past weekend, many people are asking why. A large portion of the mass shootings in the U.S. in recent years have roots in domestic violence against partners and family members. There are laws on the books preventing convicted domestic violence offenders from obtaining weapons. So why does this keep happening? Read more.

Syria announced during United Nations climate talks this week that it would sign the Paris agreement on climate change. The move, which comes on the heels of Nicaragua signing the accord last month, will leave the United States as the only country that has rejected the global pact. Read more.

When Deaths Exceed Births, Countries Can Turn to Immigration

Twenty countries are reporting more deaths than births, indicating that the total population in those countries will decline. Due to falling fertility rates, the number of countries with declining populations is expected to triple by the middle of this century. Countries could respond by increasing immigration to cover the gap between births and deaths. Read more.

World Campaign to Clean Torrents of Plastic Dumped in the Oceans

The U.N. is strengthening efforts to clean up the seas, which are the Earth's main buffer against climate change. At least 30 countries from across the globe are involved in the campaign to deal with the torrents of plastic trash that are degrading oceans and endangering the life they sustain. The 30 countries - all members of UN Environment Program's "Clean Seas" campaign - account for about 40 percent of the world's coastlines. Read more.